Tom Brady Passes for 311 Yards as Patriots Beat Kirk Cousins, Vikings 24-10

The New England Patriots remain undefeated at home with a 24-10 Week 13 win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Tom Brady threw for 311 passing yards with a touchdown and an interception Sunday as the Patriots improved to 9-3 on the year, including 6-0 at Gillette Stadium. The defense also stepped up while allowing just 278 yards from scrimmage.

The Vikings had a chance to improve their own playoff standing but fell to 6-5-1. Kirk Cousins totaled 201 passing yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in the loss to the Patriots.

Patriots D Starting to Play at Elite Level

The loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 10 raised concerns about the entire Patriots roster, but giving up 34 points to that offense was especially concerning. The defense has been a problem in several games this year, entering the day ranked just 22nd in the league in yards allowed per game.

However, the unit looked much better against the New York Jets last week and then was dominant at times against a talented Vikings attack Sunday.

The Patriots did what they often do best: shut down an opponent's No. 1 option.

In this case, it was Adam Thielen who found few openings throughout the day. The receiver had been averaging more than 100 yards per game this season but only managed five catches for 28 yards. While he did get loose for one touchdown, he didn't do too much damage throughout the game.

Meanwhile, the pass rush had one of its best efforts of the season after ranking third-worst in the NFL with 17 sacks in 2018.

Cousins was sacked two times, but he was under pressure even more often while taking six hits during the game. He rarely had time for plays to develop downfield, and 12 of his 32 completions were to running backs.

Adding in two interceptions in the fourth quarter, this was a strong effort from the Patriots as they try to re-emerge as a Super Bowl favorite.

Everyone knows what Brady is capable of, but if the defense plays like it did Sunday, this team can match up with anyone in the NFL.

Kirk Cousins Not Doing Enough to Power Vikings Offense

The Vikings brought in Cousins this offseason to win games against quality opponents, and he isn't doing enough to justify his contract.

While the numbers have generally been good week-to-week, the quarterback has benefitted from having an elite receiving tandem in Thielen and Stefon Diggs. These players often get open, win contested balls and pick up yards after the catch to help out Cousins in the box score.

The Patriots effectively shut down these players, forcing Cousins to try to win the game himself, and he was clearly not up to the task.

His minimal impact was especially seen on a turnover on downs in the fourth quarter:

Cousins not only couldn't lead his team on a comeback drive, he barely gave the offense a chance to score. On the next possession, he threw an interception to effectively seal the loss.

The quarterback otherwise spent the day checking down, and it led to just 10 points scored in a losing effort.

While Cousins was much better in Week 12 with three touchdown passes in a win over the Green Bay Packers, the Vikings need him to produce every week, and he hasn't done that this season.

After being hailed as the missing piece for a Super Bowl team coming into the year, he now appears to be a weak link for a squad struggling to reach the postseason.

Patriots' Diversity on Offense Becoming Their Greatest Asset

Bill Belichick hates your fantasy team.

Instead of relying upon one or two stars like many teams around the league, the Patriots spread the ball around against the Vikings, and it made the offense nearly impossible to defend.

Jeff Darlington of ESPN broke down the diversity on offense:

In addition to the nine different players catching a pass, seven different players registered a rushing attempt, including fullback James Develin with his two rushing touchdowns:

The yardages were also pretty evenly distributed, with only James White topping 70 yards from scrimmage. Of course, 42 of the running back's 118 total yards came on a meaningless play at the end of the first half.

The game showed that the Patriots don't need any one person to stand out to have a quality showing offensively.

Rob Gronkowski used to be a dominant threat but hasn't looked like himself this season. Sony Michel has been inconsistent since returning from his knee injury, while Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon can disappear for large stretches of games. However, the offense keeps moving downfield as Brady and the coaching staff gets everyone involved.

If this continues, defenses will have a difficult time game-planning against this group going forward.

What's Next?

The Patriots will go back on the road in Week 14 to face the Miami Dolphins. The Vikings will travel to face the Seattle Seahawks in what could be an important matchup for NFC playoff seeding.

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